FACT CHECK: Did AP News Report That Olympic Opening Ceremony Organizer Was Struck By Lightning?
The text discusses a post on social media that claims an Associated Press headline stating that Thomas Jolly, the artist behind the Olympic opening ceremony, was struck by lightning. However, the image of the headline has been edited. Additionally, Olympic gymnast Sabrina Maneca-Voinea is appealing a penalty that deducted .10 points from her score due to going out of bounds during a floor final. If her appeal is successful, she could become the bronze medal winner, which has already changed hands once since the event, following a challenge to American gymnast Jordan Chiles’ finish.
A post shared on social media purportedly shows an Associated Press headline claiming that the Olympic opening ceremony organizer was struck by lightning.
The image has been edited.
Olympic gymnast Sabrina Maneca-Voinea filed an appeal of docking her .10 points for going out of bounds during a floor final, The New York Post reported. A successful appeal would make her the bronze medal winner, which has already switched hands once since the event when American gymnast Jordan Chiles’ finish was challenged.
A post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows a headline that Thomas Jolly the artist who organized the Olympics opening ceremony. The headline reads, “Artist behind the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony Hospitalised After Freak Lightning Strike.” The caption says, Huh…you don’t say…”
The claim is inaccurate. There is no record of the article on the AP website. There is no headline found on any of their social media accounts. Likewise, there is no record of an archive version.
A search of the outlet’s website does return an article with the same image. The real headline reads, “Police investigating hate speech targeting Olympics opening ceremony director Thomas Jolly.”
This is not the first time misinformation has circulated online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim that Bill Gates is integrating HIV into Mpox vaccine.
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